Knightland Village Mall

Plans for a 37,000+ sq. ft. shopping mall where the Sound Avenue historic rural corridor meets 25A (map) in Wading River were approved on December 15, 2011 by the Riverhead Planning Board. The project would include 24-29 stores plus a food court and a tourist information center, leaving no doubt that Knightland is intended to attract tourists and other visitors (site plan). Yet its Business CR zoning is supposed to be for stores, “geared primarily toward providing daily services to residents in adjacent residential areas” (according to Riverhead Town Code) and clearly does permit destination retail. Two are planned for the tiny stretch of Sound Avenue between the light and Fairway Drive in an already congested and dangerous area.

The Planning Board approved the site plan without evaluated the cumulative impacts this project would have along with others proposed on this small Wading River corridor, which violates New York State environmental law. For these two primary reasons, the RNPC filed suit the day after the approval. Unfortunately, the courts threw the RNPC (and neighbor) lawsuit out for what they deemed was a lack of legal standing. Within weeks, the Town approved a land clearing permit and the project appears to be moving forward. (1/14)

WADING RIVER

Project Advocacy

A Case Study

Save

Wading River

Campaign

For additional information on the history of the Save Wading River Campaign, the WR 25A Corridor Study, and what was achieved through the efforts of RNPC and the neighboring community to oppose the proposed commercial/retail development.... Click here to read more.

Key objections to approval of site plan

Project violates zoning because it is clearly destination retail (with its prohibited food court and tourist info center) and not rural retail designed to serve residents’ daily needs

Approval of plan without studying impacts (which might have resulted in site plan revisions or rejection) violates the State Environmental Quality Review Act

Project of this type and size does not belong on a small triangular area at a congested intersection at the beginning of a historic rural corridor and it will pose problems for residents of adjacent neighborhood

Planning Board failed to adopt a single Coalition recommendation to mitigate impacts including relocation of dangerous entrances, increased buffering from Sound Avenue and downsizing (see July 2011 comments).